Murtaza Rakhimov

Murtaza Gubaydullovich Rakhimov (7 February 1934-) was the first President of Bashkortostan from 12 December 1993 to 15 July 2010, preceding Rustem Khamitov.

Biography
Murtaza Gubaydullovich Rakhimov was born on 7 February 1934 in Tavakanovo, Bashkir ASSR, Soviet Union to a family of Sunni Muslim Bashkirs. In 1986 he became director of the Ufa Oil Institute after having worked at the Novo-Ufimsky refinery plant that the company owned. In 1989, the government appointed him as Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and in 1993 he became Bashkortostan's first president after it joined the Russian Federation. He held the office until 2010, when he went to work for Sistema after leaving office.